Reward Offered For New Britain 'Serial' Killer

Sandra Martinez, the sister of Joyvaline Martinez, whose body was discovered behind a New Britain strip mall in 2007, speaks to reporters after police announced a $150,000 reward for the unknown serial killer.

Sandra Martinez, the sister of Joyvaline Martinez, whose body was discovered behind a New Britain strip mall in 2007, speaks to reporters after police announced a $150,000 reward for the unknown serial killer.

NEW BRITAIN — Police on Friday revealed the identity of the third woman whose remains were found behind a city strip mall in 2007 and said all three women were killed by the same person.

They then announced a $150,000 reward, believed to be the largest the state of Connecticut has offered for information in a criminal investigation that leads to the capture of the killer.

Police Chief James Wardwell said the third victim was Mary Jane Menard, 40, of New Britain, and announced the formation of the Greater New Britain Serial Murder Task Force, which involves several law enforcement agencies.

"The deaths of all three women were classified as homicides and our investigation has revealed that these murders were committed by the same offender at different times," Wardwell said.

The investigation began in August 2007, when a resident looking for a place to hunt discovered human bones in some woods behind the strip mall on Hartford Road, south of the Westfarms mall.

One woman was identified in December 2010 as Diane Cusack after police released photographs of forensic busts that had been made of two victims. In September 2013, the second woman was identified as Joyvaline Martinez.

The remains of three women were found behind these buildings on Hartford Road in New Britain in 2007.

The remains of three women were found behind these buildings on Hartford Road in New Britain in 2007.

Until Friday, the third victim, Menard, had not been identified. Only her hipbones were found.

Another young woman's body was found behind the same strip mall in 1995. In July, police charged Robert Honsch, the woman's father, with her death and the death of her mother, whose body was found in Tolland, Mass., about a week after her daughter's.

Wardwell said Friday that authorities do not believe the remains found behind the strip mall in 1995 and the ones found in 2007 were connected.

"I am able to tell you today that these three murders appear to be completely unrelated to the killing of Elizabeth Honsch, who was found murdered behind the same mall in 1995," Wardwell said.

Wardwell said that all three victims from the 2007 discovery had a history of substance abuse and were all last seen sometime in late summer or early fall of 2003. He said all three women were known to frequent the neighborhood in downtown New Britain that borders Main, Lafayette and Washington streets.

"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Mary Jane Menard, as well as the loved ones of Joyvaline Martinez and Diane Cusack," Wardwell said. "I want to emphasize that although these women may have been struggling with substance abuse issues at the time of their murders, they were mothers and daughters, sisters and neighbors. To this day they are loved and missed by the families and friends they've left behind."

Family members of all three victims attended the Friday press conference at the New Britain Police Department where Wardwell made his announcements. Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane, East Hartford Police Chief Scott M. Sansom and other law enforcement officials also attended.

Madie Cuascut, the oldest sister of Joyvaline Martinez, said she was grateful to learn about the large reward and was confident that it would lead to an arrest.

"We're going to get him," Cuascut said. "I'm so thankful that now there's a large reward. Somebody's going to give him up."

Members of Menard's family said after the press conference that they were too emotional to speak to reporters.

Wardwell said that Menard had a daughter who was serving overseas in the armed forces at the time of her disappearance. The Charley Project, an online database that profiles more than 9,000 "cold case" missing persons throughout the U.S., states that Menard was a substance abuse counselor who went out for a pack of cigarettes on the night of Oct. 4, 2003, and was never seen again.

The FBI defines "serial killings" as "three or more killings, not less than one of which was committed within the United States, having common characteristics such as to suggest the reasonable possibility that the crimes were committed by the same actor or actors."

The Greater New Britain Serial Murder Task Force consists of members of the New Britain, Hartford, Waterbury and East Hartford police departments, Connecticut State Police, the FBI and the Office of the Connecticut Chief State's Attorney.

Wardwell said anyone with information about the killings could call an anonymous tip line at 860-826-3199, text a tip to 860-801-1004 or send an email to Crimetips@NewBritainCT.gov.